Come see...

It was early...very early. I was on the couch in the middle of devotions..I love the quiet of the early morning before the boys are up. The house is quiet, the dawn is just beginning to break, the birds are beginning to sing and, of course, the roosters are strutting their stuff (why must they strut so noisily?).

This time I heard another noise....a little voice saying "Mom! Come to my room quick!" It was Elijah...it was really early for him! Immediately I wondered what was broken, spilt, wrong...I asked....and again he repeated. "Come quick" and off he went.

Quickly I set my bible down and followed....sure that I would find vomit on the carpet or in the bed, broken glass on the floor...a fish that had died (again!) but I was so wrong. Elijah led me quickly to his window...and over our pond was the most brilliant rainbow I have ever seen. The most awesome part was its reflection in our pond...it was breathtaking. I think the colors were so vivid because there was so little light at that time. By the time I gathered my wits and got my camera, the dawn was increasing and caused the rainbow to fade quite a bit. Here is what I was able to capture.



Can you see the reflection in the pond...just moments before this it was vivid!



There were two rainbows...side by side...something I used to see a lot when I lived in Washington state but I don't remember ever seeing here in TN before.



The other boys heard us whispering and awoke in time to enjoy the show with us. So timely, since we are studying in Genesis right now. It was just so lovely, I wanted to share it with you.

An awesome reminder of God's promises. We learned a neat thing in our lesson today when we were studying about Noah. It was something I think we all need to be reminded of occasionally so if you permit, I'll share it with you.

God issued Noah an invitation....to build an ark. But Noah had to R.S.V.P.! Noah needed to respond. Noah had choices...as do we! He could accept the invitation, which thankfully he did, or he could sit still and do nothing...which would have led to death. Too often, in many churches, we are taught to "claim it" but we aren't encouraged to participate. Don't get me wrong...it isn't that God needs our help...but our participation is crucial to our refining process. And often, our participation is required before God acts.

Think of Jesus and Lazarus! When Jesus was taken to the tomb of Lazarus why did he ask the people to roll the stone away? Didn't Jesus have the ability to move the stone with a wave of his hand...a word...a nod....an unspoken thought? Why did he ask the people to participate...to respond...to walk in faith...before he unleashed a miracle before them?

Throughout our lives we are given many opportunites and we are issued many invitations from God. Does not God want us to respond...to participate....to quit sitting there waiting for God to "change us"...(the chorus "wouldn't it be nice" goes ringing through my mind at this point)! Are we not to put forth effort, to make godly choices, to deny ourselves, to participate in God's leading, do what we know is right instead of what we want or feel like doing?

Do we respond to God's invitations as Noah did? Or do we sit and do nothing...which leads to death....